Trump declares North Korea a state sponsor of terrorism

President Trump placed North Korea back on the list of state sponsors of terrorism, triggering sanctions. In his remarks, Trump mentioned Otto Warmbier, the college student from Ohio who died in June shortly after his return from North Korea, where he was held for more than a year.

The designation came a week after Trump returned from a 12-day, five-nation trip to Asia in which he made containing North Korea’s nuclear ambitions a centerpiece of his discussions.

“In addition to threatening the world by nuclear devastation, North Korea has repeatedly supported acts of international terrorism, including assassinations on foreign soil,” Trump told reporters at the White House.

“This designation will impose further sanctions and penalties on North Korea and related persons and supports our maximum pressure campaign to isolate the murderous regime.”